accelerator

[ ak-sel-uh-rey-ter ]

/ ækˈsɛl əˌreɪ tər /

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noun

a person or thing that accelerates.

Automotive. a device, usually operated by the foot, for controlling the speed of an engine.

British. any two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle, as a motorcycle or motor scooter.

Photography. a chemical, usually an alkali, added to a developer to increase the rate of development.

Also called accelerant. Chemistry. any substance that increases the speed of a chemical change, as one that increases the rate of vulcanization of rubber or that hastens the setting of concrete, mortar, plaster, or the like.

Anatomy, Physiology. any muscle, nerve, or activating substance that quickens a movement.

Also called at·om smash·er

[at-uhm smash-er], /ˈæt əm ˌsmæʃ ər/, par·ti·cle ac·cel·er·a·tor

[pahr-ti-kuhl] /ˈpɑr tɪ kəl/ .Physics. an electrostatic or electromagnetic device, as a cyclotron, that produces high-energy particles and focuses them on a target.

Economics. acceleration coefficient.

Business. an enterprise that provides investment funding and short, fixed-duration mentoring and education programs to a select group of startups that apply for this, including access to networking, strategy coaching, collaborative workspace, etc. Compare incubator (def. 5).

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Origin of accelerator

First recorded in 1605–15 and in 1930–35 for def. 7; accelerate + -or²

Words nearby accelerator

accelerationist, acceleration of free fall, acceleration of gravity, acceleration principle, accelerative, accelerator, accelerator board, accelerator mass spectrometry, accelerogram, accelerograph, accelerometer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use accelerator in a sentence

The publisher uses existing affiliate conversion data from its commerce content to establish sales benchmarks, then looks to use the accelerator to drive incremental gains.
‘The more culture you own’: Condé Nast pursues more revenue growth with new brand-strength metric|Max Willens|September 18, 2020|Digiday
In March, the fundraising environment for direct-to-consumer startups was “downright frozen,” as Michael Duda, managing partner at hybrid accelerator agency and venture capital fund Bullish, put it.
‘It is all DTC now’: VCs are eager to strike deals again|Anna Hensel|September 18, 2020|Digiday
One local games studio said it gave up hosting seasonal in-game events, which can be a big revenue accelerator, because Apple didn’t respond to their update review request for more than a month.
Apple’s App Store draws scrutiny in yet another country|Verne Kopytoff|September 3, 2020|Fortune
Facebook reveals early results from its subscription-focused local news accelerator
Facebook tests linking your FB account to your news subscriptions|Anthony Ha|August 28, 2020|TechCrunch

Still, the new result edges closer to the Planck regime than experiments at the world’s largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, Bojowald says.
The universe might have a fundamental clock that ticks very, very fast|Emily Conover|July 13, 2020|Science News
After episodes of not-so-subtly mentioning the particle accelerator at S.T.A.R Labs, we finally get what we want.
Arrow ‘Three Ghosts’ Recap: Here Comes The Flash!|Chancellor Agard|December 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
After eight episodes of not-so-subtly mentioning the particle accelerator at S.T.A.R Labs, we finally get what we want.
Arrow ‘Three Ghosts’ Recap: Here Comes The Flash!|Chancellor Agard|December 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If Obama presses on this good-news accelerator with too heavy a foot, the engine will backfire in a big way.
Michael Tomasky: Obama’s Simple Convention Task Is to Tell the Truth|Michael Tomasky|September 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Almost unconsciously he lifted his foot from the accelerator and pressed down the brake.
The Everlasting Arms|Joseph Hocking
Morey cut into a Northbound traffic level, moved into the high-speed lane, and eased in on the accelerator.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell
A loud shout from behind only brought Richard's foot down upon the accelerator.
Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo|E. Phillips Oppenheim
Then they dashed around the corner, and Richard, turning on the lights, jammed down his accelerator.
Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo|E. Phillips Oppenheim
The barrier gate began to swing inwards and Kerk jammed down on the accelerator.
Deathworld|Harry Harrison

British Dictionary definitions for accelerator

accelerator

/ (ækˈsɛləˌreɪtə) /

noun

a device for increasing speed, esp a pedal for controlling the fuel intake in a motor vehicle; throttle

Also called (not in technical usage): atom smasher physics a machine for increasing the kinetic energy of subatomic particles or atomic nuclei and focusing them on a target

chem a substance that increases the speed of a chemical reaction, esp one that increases the rate of vulcanization of rubber, the rate of development in photography, the rate of setting of synthetic resins, or the rate of setting of concrete; catalyst

economics (in an economy) the relationship between the rate of change in output or sales and the consequent change in the level of investment

anatomy a muscle or nerve that increases the rate of a function

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

accelerator

Origin of accelerator

Words nearby accelerator

Words related to accelerator

How to use accelerator in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for accelerator